Adjustable clam fork



Dec. 24, 1963 c. E. HENDRICK 3,115,359

ADJUSTABLE CLAM FORK Filed Nov. 24, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gl'mmw INVEN TOR. CLINTON E. HEND/P/CK A r Tom/5V5 Dec. 24, 1963 c. E. HENDRICK ADJUSTABLE CLAM FORK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV- 24, 1961 INVENTOR. CL/NTON E. HENDR/CK A TTORNEVS United States Patent Ofilice ddliifi Patented Dec. 24, 15263 3,115,359 ADEUSTABLE SLAM FQRK Clinton 123. Hendrick, 438 Pennsylvania Ave, Santa Cruz, Calif. Filed Nov. 24, 19611., Ser. No. 154 ,6391 3 Claims. (Ql. 294-535) This invention relates to an adjustable fork and is useful particularly in the digging of clams.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved adjustable for Another obiect of this invention is to provide an improved adjustable fork which is particularly adapted for use in digging clams and in which there is provided means whereby the fork may assume at least two positions with respect to the handle.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved and adjustable clam digging fork in which the fork tine portion is adapted to be extended from the handle portion substantially in line therewith during the time when th fork tines are inserted under the clam or clams and thereafter the fork handle is adapted to be brought to a substantially 90 degree position with respect to the fork tines so that suitable leverage may be obtsined for boosting the clam or clams out of the sand.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following specification, claims and drawing.

in this accordance with this invention, there is provided an improved adjustable fork which is particularly adapted for use in digging clams. This device is provided with a fork member having a plurality of tines joined together by a bridging member which is adapted to be attached by means of a suitable pivoting arrangement to the bottom end of the handle of the device. The pivoting arrangement is provided with a U-sl1aped member for receiving the pivoting member of the fork and suitable holes are formed in this U-shaped member and in the pivoting member for receiving the pivot pin which is of hardened steel or the ill; The pivoting member is also provided with suitable latch receiving notches, one of which is positioned so that the fork member may be latched in extended position with respect to the handle and the other of which is positioned so that the fork member may be latched in a 90 degree position with respect to the handle.

This device is provided with a tubular handle which is attached to the aforesaid U-shaped member by means of suitable bolts or screws and the latch operating rod is positioned in this tubular member. The latch attached to the lower end of the operating rod extends into the pivoting arrangement. Also the operating rod extends through the handle to the crosspiecc that is attached at the upper end of the handle. The latch operating rod is provided with finger members extending out to the sides of the handle under the crosspiece or handle member. These finger members or extensions are provided so that the operator can grip them from either side or both sides of the handle and operate the latch by exerting pressure between these extensions and the handle member.

In the use of this tool, the tines of the fork are extended from the bottom of the handle in alignment therewith and when thus extended, the fork tines are buried in the beach sand occupied by the clam. After the fork tines are thus buried in the sand, the latch is disengaged from the latching member of the fork by lifting up on the finger-operated extensions of the latching rod so that the handle may be moved into its 90 degree position with respect to the fork tines. With the handle in this 90 degree position, the operator pulls back on the handle thereby bringing the clam to the surface of the sand.

Inasmuch as this device is constructed to be used in beach sand, it is desirable to provide a suitable boot of flexible material such as rubber or the like for enclosing the pivot and latching mechanism so that the fine beach sand is kept out of this mechanism.

Further details and features of this invention will be set forth in the following specification, claims and drawing in which, briefly:

PH 1 is a view in front elevation of an embodiment of this adjustable fork, parts of which are shown in cross-section;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of an embodiment of this invention in which the extended position of the fork is shown in alignment with the handle and the degree position is shown in broken outline;

PEG. 3 is a detail sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 in the 90' degree position;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FlG. 3;

FIG. 6 shows a modified form of this invention in which the handle is attached to the fork by means of suitable plate and clamp arrangement; and

PEG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7--'7 of FIG. 6.

Referring to the drawing in detail, reference numeral 1.9 designates the tubular handle of this adjustable fork. This handle is provided with a crosspiece or handle member 11 that is attached to the upper end of the tubular handle Ill by means of the socket member 12 which is welded or otherwise attached to the crosspiece 11 and which is pnovided with a socket for receiving the upper end of the handle it to which it is attached by means of the screws or bolts 13. The latch receiving member 16 is inserted into the bottom end of the tubular handle 16 and is held therein by means of the screws 21 as shown in FIG. 3. The U-shaped portion of this member 16 extends out of the handle and the parts 17 and 18 thereof are provided with a hole for receiving the pivot pin db which is of hardened steel.

The pivoting member 24) which is attached to the bridge 15 of the fork by welding or the like has a part thereof positioned between the parts 17 and 18 of the U-sheped portion of the member to. The pivot pin 19 extends through holes formed in member and parts 17 and 18 and holds these parts together. Thus pivoting member 2b is adapted to be rotated through a certain angle with respect to member to. Fivoting member Ell is provided with flat portions Ztla land 2% which are adapted to engage the flat portion of member 16 between parts 17 and 18 and thus limit the angle through which the pivoting member 263 may be rotated When the flat portion Zila engages member 16, the latch 22 is lodged in recess 23 of pivoting member and the tines 14 of the fork extend substantially straight in alignment with the handle id as shown in 3. On the other hand, when the pivoting member 29 is rotated so that the fiat portion 2% thereof engages member do, the latch 22 is lodged in recess 24 and the fork is locked with the tines 14 thereof extending substantially at right angles with respect to the handle, as shown in the broken outline of the fork in FIG. 2, and also as s own in PEG. 4.

The latch 22 is attached to the bottom end of the latchoperat ng rod 25 which extends through the tubular handle it and the upper end 25a thereof extends into the crosspiece 11 as shown in FIG. 1. A spring 26 is positioned around the upper portion of the latch-actuating rod 25 and the upper part of this spring engages the crosspiece 1-1 around the hold through which the rod 25 extends. The lower part of the spring as engages the upper sur face of the finger operable member 27 which is fixedly attached to the rod 25. The opposite ends of member 27 showing the fork extend outward from tubular handle it through slots formed in this handle so that the finger-engaging parts of this member are accessible from the outside of the handle. Thus the operator of this adjustable fork can manipulate the latch-actuating rod 25 by engaging the outer portions of the member 2-7 and lift the rod against the tension of the spring 26 so that the latch 22 is disengaged from the notch in which it is lodged in the pivot member 26 and thus release this member so that the fork may be rotated about the pivot pin 19 as an axis. Thus the fork may be set either in the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 2 or in the position shown in broken lines in this figure.

The pivoting mechanism of this adjustable fork is enclosed in a flexible best 28 which may be of material such as rubber or the like and which also may be corrugated as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 so that the beach sand where this clam-digging fork is used will not enter the pivoting mechanism and interfere with the operation thereof as Well as the latching mechanism. The upper end portion of this boot is clamped against the tubular handle by means of the clamp 29, which may be made of wire or other strip material, and presses the boot material against the handle to form a seal therewith. The lower part of the boot 2% is clamped around the periphery of the disk-shaped member 31 by means of the wire or strip member 3% so that this lower part of the boot forms a seal with the outer edge of this disk. The disk 31 is attached to the pivoting member Zll by means of suitable cement or solder so that it forms a seal therewith.

A modified form of this invention is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 in which the fork is attached to the handle 'by means of the plate 32 and clamps 33. The plate 32 serves to attach the pivoting member 29 to the fork bridge 15' to which this plate is clamped by the U-shaped clamps 33. These clamps are provided with nuts 34 engaging the threaded ends thereof for clamping the bridge 15 of the fork against the plate 332. The pivoting member 20 is attached to the plate 32 by welding or the like so that this assembly of the plate and the fork may be pivotally attached to the handle lit) in the same manner as previously described in connection with FIGS. 15.

In addition, the plate 32 is of SllfilClfiIlt area so that it forms a base against the sand when the fork is used for lifting the clams out of the sand. Thus the plate 32 forms a base which rests on the sand because of the relatively large area of this plate and this prevents the plate from being buried in the sand when pressure is applied to the cross member ll of the handle during the clamlifting operation, that is when the clam is lifted out of the sand. A similar plate may be attached to the fork shown in FIG. 1 by means of clamps such as the U-sh aped clamps 33 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, and in this case the plate functions simply to give the fork a wider base against the sand when the clam is being lifted out of the sand. In this instance, however, the plate would not be used for attaching the fork to the handle, as in the modification shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Also in the modification shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a suitable flexible boot such as the boot 28 is provided to enclose the pivoting and latching mechanism.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that the invention is capable of variation and modification from the form shown so that its scope should be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

1. An adjustable fork particularly adapted for digging clams out of beach sand, comprising a tubular handle and a fork having a plurality of tines joined together by a bridge, means for pivotally attaching the bridge of said fork to said tubular handle comprising a pivoting member attached to the bridge of said fork, a U-shaped member having a part extending into the bottom end of said tubular Luv handle, said pivoting member being positioned between the U-shaped parts of said U-shaped member and being pivotally attached thereto, a latch, said pivoting member having a pair of recesses for receiving said latch and for locking said pivoting member in selected predetermined ositions with respect to said U-shaped member, one of said recesses being positioned on said pivoting member such that when said latch is positioned therein the fork is extended substantially in line with said tubular handle and the other of said recesses being positioned on said pivoting member such that when said latch is positioned therein the fork is positioned substantially at right angles with respect to said tubular handle, a latch operating rod positioned in said tubular handle, the lower end of said rod being attached to said latch, said handle having a cross member at the top thereof, a finger grip member attached to the upper part of said rod, said finger grip member extending outward from the sides of said handle, spring means positioned on said rod between said finger grip member and the upper part of said handle for urging said latch into engagement with a selected one of said recesses, a substantially circular member attached to the lower end of said pivoting member, and a flexible boot having one end thereof attached to the lower end of said tubular member and having the other end thereof attached to the circumference of said substantially circular member for enclosing said U-shaped member, said latch and said pivoting member to prevent sand from entering these parts during the clam digging operation.

2. An adjustable fork particularly adapted for digging clams out of beach sand, comprising a tubular handle and a fork having a plurality of tines joined together by a bridge, means for pivotally attaching the bridge of said fork to said tubular handle comprising a pivoting member attached to the bridge of said fork, a U-shaped member having a part extending into the bottom end of said tubular handle, said pivoting member being positioned between the U-shaped parts of said last-mentioned member and being pivotally attached thereto, a latch, said pivoting member having a pair of recesses for receiving said latch and for locking said pivoting member in selected predetermined positions with respect to said U-shaped member, one of said recesses being positioned on said pivoting member such that when said latch is positioned therein the fork is extended substantially in line with said tubular handle and the other of said recesses being positioned on said pivoting member such that when said latch is positioned therein the fork is positioned substantially at right angles with respect to said tubular handle, a latch operating rod positioned in said tubular handle, the lower end of said rod being attached to said latch, a finger grip member attached to the upper part of said rod, said finger grip member extending outward from the sides of said handle, spring means positioned on said rod between said finger grip member and the upper part of said handle for urging said latch into engagement with a selected one of said recesses, a flexible boot for enclosing said U-shaped member, said latch and said pivoting member to prevent sand from entering these parts during the clam digging operation, and a plate attached to the bridge of said fork, said plate having an area engaging the top surface of the sand from which the clam is being extracted large enough to provide a bearing surface to the fork when the clam is being lifted out of the sand and to substantially prevent the bridge of the fork from sinking into the sand.

3. An adjustable fork particularly adapted for digging clams out of beach sand, comprising a tubular handle and a fork having a plurality of tines joined together by a bridge, means for pivotally attaching the bridge of said fork to said tubular handle comprising a pivoting member, 21 plate attached to the bridge of said fork and to said pivoting member, a U-shaped member having a part extending into the bottom end of said tubular handle, said pivoting member being positioned between the U-shaped parts of said last-mentioned member and being pivotally attached thereto, a latch, said pivoting member having a pair of recesses for receiving said latch and for locking said pivoting member in selected predetermined positions with respect to said U-shaped member, one of said recesses being positioned on said pivoting member such that when said latch is positioned therein the fork is extended substantially in line With said tubular handle and the other of said recesses being positioned on said pivoting member such that when said latch is positioned therein the fork is positioned substantially at right angles with respect to said tubular handle, a latch operating rod positioned in said tubular handle, the lower end of said rod being attached to said latch, a finger grip member attached to the upper part of said rod, said finger grip member extending outward from the sides of said handle, spring means positioned on said rod between said finger grip member and the upper part of said handle for urging said latch into engagement with a selected one of said recesses, and a flexible boot for enclosing said U-shaped member, said latch and said pivoting member to prevent sand from entering these parts during the clam digging operation, said plate attached to the bridge of said fork having an area engaging the top surface of the sand from which the clam is being extracted large enough to provide a bearing surface to the fork when the clam is being lifted out of the sand and to substantially prevent the bridge of the fork from sinking into the sand.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,025,360 Auter May 7, 1912 1,273,718 Armstrong July 23, 1918 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,974 Denmark 1900 739,105 Germany 1943 389,936 Great Britain 1933 

1. AN ADJUSTABLE FORK PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR DIGGING CLAMS OUT OF BEACH SAND, COMPRISING A TUBULAR HANDLE AND A FORK HAVING A PLURALITY OF TINES JOINED TOGETHER BY A BRIDGE, MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY ATTACHING THE BRIDGE OF SAID FORK TO SAID TUBULAR HANDLE COMPRISING A PIVOTING MEMBER ATTACHED TO THE BRIDGE OF SAID FORK, A U-SHAPED MEMBER HAVING A PART EXTENDING INTO THE BOTTOM END OF SAID TUBULAR HANDLE, SAID PIVOTING MEMBER BEING POSITIONED BETWEEN THE U-SHAPED PARTS OF SAID U-SHAPED MEMBER AND BEING PIVOTALLY ATTACHED THERETO, A LATCH, SAID PIVOTING MEMBER HAVING A PAIR OF RECESSES FOR RECEIVING SAID LATCH AND FOR LOCKING SAID PIVOTING MEMBER IN SELECTED PREDETERMINED POSITIONS WITH RESPECT TO SAID U-SHAPED MEMBER, ONE OF SAID RECESSES BEING POSITIONED ON SAID PIVOTING MEMBER SUCH THAT WHEN SAID LATCH IS POSITIONED THEREIN THE FORK IS EXTENDED SUBSTANTIALLY IN LINE WITH SAID TUBULAR HANDLE AND THE OTHER OF SAID RECESSES BEING POSITIONED ON SAID PIVOTING MEMBER SUCH THAT WHEN SAID LATCH IS POSITIONED THEREIN THE FORK IS POSITIONED SUBSTANTIALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES WITH RESPECT TO SAID TUBULAR HANDLE, A LATCH OPERATING ROD POSITIONED IN SAID TUBULAR HANDLE, THE LOWER END OF SAID ROD BEING ATTACHED TO SAID LATCH, SAID HANDLE HAVING A CROSS MEMBER AT THE TOP THEREOF, A FINGER GRIP MEMBER ATTACHED TO THE UPPER PART OF SAID ROD, SAID FINGER GRIP MEMBER EXTENDING OUTWARD FROM THE SIDES OF SAID HANDLE, SPRING MEANS POSITIONED ON SAID ROD BETWEEN SAID FINGER GRIP MEMBER AND THE UPPER PART OF SAID HANDLE FOR URGING SAID 